Matthew 8:28-34

Jesus Drives The Demons Into Pigs

29 And they cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"

30 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.

31 The demons began to entreat Him, saying, "If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."

32 And He said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.

33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.

34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

Casting Out Demons

Wikipedia describes a demon as ...

"a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled."

Why Do Demons Exist?

These demons or fallen angels joined forces with Satan when he rebelled against God and their main function is to tempt unsuspecting people into sin and destruction. Christ knew exactly who they were and the evil spirits certainly knew Jesus and even called by the name, "Son of God". They had no power and met their match when He approached them.

Faith in Christ

In verse 29 the demons did recognize Jesus but had no intention of obeying him. This is a difference between believing and having faith. We may believe in Christ but we also have to accept, knowing what he did for us and then act on that faith by attempting to follow the commands he gave us.

No matter how much we rationalize, Christ is the only one who can save us from sin. He lived among the people, taught, and then went to the cross to die so that we might live. There is a simple guide to follow here if you have not yet accepted and want to learn more about accepting Christ.

What About The Two Demon Possessed Men?

These men were from Gadarenes, a gentile city so were considered unclean by the Jews. They were possessed and living in a graveyard going strictly against Jewish law. But, Jesus had no problem with helping them to overcome their "illness". Jesus never let circumstances keep him from doing his work. He still doesn't. Christ is wherever we are, watching and waiting for us whenever we call on him.

A Friend Indeed ..

There is a saying I read recently (not sure of the author) which stated; "A friend cares about you - a true friend is concerned about you." Jesus is concerned about you and me, so much so that he was willing to die for you and me. Let's not ever forget this fact.

Do We Help or Walk Away?

What about us? Do we sometimes walk away from people who need our help because of who they are or what they look like? It's easy to judge someone at first glance and decide they are not worth the trouble or too far gone to even bother.

Christ proved in this passage that no one is beyond help - all are created by God and worth saving. Shouldn't we be willing to help one of God's creations? Please pray for the lost.

Love in Christ

- Bob

Matthew 7:13-14 - Jesus Teaches about the Way to Heaven